Northrop Grumman announced Wednesday that it has delivered the first set of instructional materials needed to train pilots and aircraft maintainers at the F-35 schoolhouse opening later this year at Eglin AFB, Fla. This “courseware” of electronic materials includes the presentation materials for classroom instructors self-study materials and pilot briefing materials for students. Northrop is one of the principal industrial partners to lead F-35 contractor Lockheed Martin. “The goal is for every pilot and every maintainer to reach the same level of knowledge about the jet, regardless of where they started,” stated Mark Tucker, Northrop’s F-35 program manager. The current courseware deliveries support the Block 0.5 software installed in the first two production-version F-35s. Subsequent deliveries of courseware will support the more advanced software blocks now being installed in the aircraft in the succeeding production lots.
The Space Force wants to starting bringing in space professionals from Air Force Reserve Command this summer, starting with Reservists in full-time status who volunteer for full-time duty.